which cantilevers

gbsahne001
gbsahne001 Posts: 1,974
edited August 2011 in The workshop
Now that I have a new frame on order, I'm looking to replace the Tektro 520's on the new CX and am wondering what people would recommend?

Comments

  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    I've been using Tektro CR720s on a Pompino and think that they are brilliant. Remember reading somewhere that they were basically the same as the 520s but with better pads. They are on sale at Ribble for £12.76 a pair rather than £23.

    http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/triathlon-bike/Brakes-Road-Tektro-CR720-Cyclo-Cross-Cantilevers-Pair/TEKTBRAR500
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    Why are you looking to replace the 520s? They ain't bad!
  • gbsahne001
    gbsahne001 Posts: 1,974
    I've never really got on with them, by comparison with the MTB (disc) and hybrid's cantilevers (Altus of 15 years ago; now replaced with "V"s) I've found them to be poor and tend to judder as you're braking.

    Now that I'm building the bike up from scratch I thought I might try and improve this aspect. I'd consider putting "V"s on it but they won't work with the flightdeck shifters and I'd quite like to keep them, as they're Dura Ace.
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    No judder with the CR720s. Not sure if that is because of the quality of the brake arms or because I toed in the blocks.
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    Gussio wrote:
    No judder with the CR720s. Not sure if that is because of the quality of the brake arms or because I toed in the blocks.
    nor here, but I went to a crown mounted brake hanger.

    Not sure you'll ever get cantis to work as well as vs or discs.
  • gbsahne001
    gbsahne001 Posts: 1,974
    I also toed the blocks in but I'm still not that impressed; tempted to think about using cable disks providing the flightdeck shifters are compatible
  • AidanR
    AidanR Posts: 1,142
    BB7 Road discs will be compatible.
    Bike lover and part-time cyclist.
  • jejv
    jejv Posts: 566
    will3 wrote:
    Gussio wrote:
    No judder with the CR720s. Not sure if that is because of the quality of the brake arms or because I toed in the blocks.
    nor here, but I went to a crown mounted brake hanger.
    Not here either. Crown mounted uphangers, Kool-Stop MTB pads.
    For maximum leverage:
    1) Run the straddle wire as low as possible.
    2) (Much less important) use the minimum of spacers on the wheel side of the pad mounts.
    will3 wrote:
    Not sure you'll ever get cantis to work as well as vs or discs.
    TBH I could still use more leverage on the hoods. Fine on the drops, or cross-top levers.
  • gbsahne001
    gbsahne001 Posts: 1,974
    thanks for the tips, might try the crown mounted hanger, as it looks the cheapest fix
  • jejv
    jejv Posts: 566
    gbsahne wrote:
    thanks for the tips, might try the crown mounted hanger, as it looks the cheapest fix
    The finer points of CR520/CR720 are a CTC Technical Forum kind of thing. Have a look there. IIRC there was some stuff about bad judder on carbon forks with cable stops above the headset.
    Also, CR520/CR720 is a touring kind of brake.
    About the KF uphangers. There may be some assembly required to make them fit the shape of your fork crown. A bench grinder or a Dremel with a mini Angle-Grinder bit may help. Otherwise they may work, but wobble about a bit, or stick too far forward.
  • gbsahne001
    gbsahne001 Posts: 1,974
    jejv wrote:
    Also, CR520/CR720 is a touring kind of brake.

    hence my question, is there anything better out there
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    gbsahne wrote:
    jejv wrote:
    Also, CR520/CR720 is a touring kind of brake.

    hence my question, is there anything better out there

    WTF is a touring kind of brake?
    Does it have pannier racks or something?
    Or is it just that it gets mentioned on the CTC forum?
  • jejv
    jejv Posts: 566
    will3 wrote:
    gbsahne wrote:
    jejv wrote:
    Also, CR520/CR720 is a touring kind of brake.

    hence my question, is there anything better out there

    WTF is a touring kind of brake?
    Does it have pannier racks or something?
    Or is it just that it gets mentioned on the CTC forum?
    Now Now.

    A brake that works with drop bar levers and takes tyres bigger than road tyres, with full mudguards.

    About the judder, since your search-fu is weak:

    http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f ... er#p181602
  • Mr Plum
    Mr Plum Posts: 1,097
    A seemingly sh*t cantilever brake can be transformed with a decent pad. If you already have the cartridge style V-brake pads in your cantis, then slot some Kool Stop pads in them.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kool-stop-v-bra ... n=products

    It'll cost you £20 for a set of 4, but it's the most effective £20 you'll spend with regards to cantilever brakes.

    That's assuming that you've got them set-up correctly in the first place.
    FCN 2 to 8
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    jejv wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    gbsahne wrote:
    jejv wrote:
    Also, CR520/CR720 is a touring kind of brake.

    hence my question, is there anything better out there

    WTF is a touring kind of brake?
    Does it have pannier racks or something?
    Or is it just that it gets mentioned on the CTC forum?
    Now Now.

    A brake that works with drop bar levers and takes tyres bigger than road tyres, with full mudguards.

    ooooookay so that's pretty much all cantilever brakes then, ie the brakes fitted to pretty much every CX bike until they recently decided that discs were OK after all.

    About the judder, since your search-fu is weak:

    http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f ... er#p181602

    eh?

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... ght=judder
  • tim_wand
    tim_wand Posts: 2,552
    What levers have you got and what budget have you got.

    Sram Levers Lower budget then Avid Shorty 4'S

    Sram Levers and Higher Budget then Avid Shorty Ultimates

    Shimano Levers and lower Budget then Shimano BBR 550'S

    Shimano Levers and Higher Budget TRP CX 9

    The Avid Shorty Ultimates are around £85 each but amazing brakes

    The TRP's like wise but a bugger to set up only about 2 mm clearance

    Best compromise all round for me was the Shimano and BBR 55O combnation as the pads are cartridge backed. Any Canti style brake can be improved with descent pads.

    Swiss stop or Uber Brakes and Cartridged backed
  • jejv
    jejv Posts: 566
    will3 wrote:
    jejv wrote:
    A brake that works with drop bar levers and takes tyres bigger than road tyres, with full mudguards.
    ooooookay so that's pretty much all cantilever brakes then, ie the brakes fitted to pretty much every CX bike until they recently decided that discs were OK after all.
    Yeah, I guess I forgot to mention the bit about stopping the bike.
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    jejv wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    jejv wrote:
    A brake that works with drop bar levers and takes tyres bigger than road tyres, with full mudguards.
    ooooookay so that's pretty much all cantilever brakes then, ie the brakes fitted to pretty much every CX bike until they recently decided that discs were OK after all.
    Yeah, I guess I forgot to mention the bit about stopping the bike.

    What's that then?
  • gbsahne001
    gbsahne001 Posts: 1,974
    having got the CX back on the road today, the 520's are still as bad as they were (by comparison to the V's on the hybrid and the disc on the MTB), what do people feel about mini Vs?

    The next option is to be an Avid BB7 road disc but if the mini Vs will work, then it's going to be a lot cheaper to do.